Topic: Suzuki GS1000 pics added

[Dawdlin Dog]

Went to have a look at a 1978 Suzuki GS 1000 today. Cosmetically it's a bit rough but that is reflected in the price ie its cheap 
What I'm not sure about is that it sounded as though it was snatching a bit/ possibly rattly occasionally on tick-over. Tickover was @ about 1100 rpm. The bike was very short on petrol, tap on reserve. Status of oil and level is unknown. Up the revs a touch and the noise goes.
Anyone know what the tick-over should be on one of these? Could it have been struggling for petrol? Could fresh oil and filter make much of a difference? could the tick-over be set to low?
Revved up ok (so I guess that rules petrol starvation out ). Went in and out of gear ok and seemed fine other than this occasional noise. Bike has stood for about 5 years.
I was in a bit of a hurry today But am going back in the morning to have another look.
Anyone familiar with these bikes?

[medic09]

I think Terry in Australia knows these.

[bgfootball67]

Do a search on the following site:

http://www.thegsresources.com/

Sounds like it could be too much oil in the crankcase, or a cam chain that needs adjusting?  The GS Resource is a fairly good chat group.

Here is a pic of my 78 GS 1000 with a few updates:

[Terry in Australia]

They're great bikes mate, stacks of power and excellent braking and handling, you won't be disappointed! The clutches rattle on all of them, and you can get them rebuilt but it's not normally required, (unless the bike has been an ex-racer) and synching the carbs will reduce it somewhat too.

Suzuki basically copied Kawasaki's Z1 to build the GS1000, but they made a much better mousetrap. While the Zi looked beautiful, Kawasaki were not good frame builders, so they were known then as "widow-makers".

Suzuki, on the other hand had more experience with racing, so made a really strong, but reasonably light frame, and when it was released, it was described as "Possibly the best bike ever built", which is one hell of a compliment!

I've got a 1981 GS1000S "Wes Cooley Replica", and a 1979 GS750, plus a couple of parts bikes. I'm thinking about putting the parts bikes back together, as these bikes are so "bullet proof", you don't need a parts bike! Cheers, Terry.   

[cb750k7]

Hi,

Can someone help with wiring diagram for a Suzuki GS1100GK model 1982?
(not the 850G diagram)


TNX

Jona

[Dawdlin Dog]

Thanks for the replies.
Bigfootball67, great link. Found alot of stuff in the faq. Great looking bike you have there, wished the one i'm considering looked half that good. 
Terry, The faq on the gsrecources site seemed to favour the clutch as being the culprit too.  Great looking bike too.
How easy are the clutches to get at and repair/replace if needs be?
The piccies give me an idea of what one of these can look like with a bit of work 

Thanks again 

[DammitDan]

When doing my research for a new bike, it basically came down to this:

KZ1000 - Really fast, moderately maneuverable, most expensive option and not too difficult to find
GS1000 - Pretty fast, lightweight and very maneuverable, moderately priced option but harder to find
XS1100 - Blindingly fast, maneuvers like a bathtub on wheels, cheapest option and plentiful

So I settled on an XS850 triple after I decided I didn't want a bike that I could kill myself TOO easily on 

[bgfootball67]

Thank you for the complement!  Parts can be had from just about and Suzuki dealer, or online at:

http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm
http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts

Not to mention quite a few of the aftermarket companies...

Terry, love the Wes Cooley GS 1000S!  I have a buddy that has two (blue and white Wes Cooleys) in his garage both in fairly rough shape.  I have been trying to talk him out of those for quite a while, no luck. 

He is a pic of my first GS, it was a 79.  I had to send her on down the rode to make room for the 78...

[Dawdlin Dog]

Went back and had a look this morning, bike started first touch of the button from cold. The noise definitely sounded like it was coming from the clutch and disappeared at 1200rpm and above. All gears engaged smooth as you like and there's 12months mot and 6months tax on it.
So I gave the man some pieces of paper and rode it home     
Needs a good clean, indicaters sorting, carb synch probably wouldnt go amiss. I'll change the oil and filter. Other than that I'm a very happy little puppy

I'll get some piccies up as soon as I can

Many thanks for the two links Bigfootball67 I don't know what their shipping charges to the uk would be though  I can still get the part numbers from there. ( I assume part numbers are universal?).

[kirkn]

Hey, great job, Dog!  Sounds like a nice find.  Looking for the pix, next.

DammitDan, you didn't mention the Honda CBX!  Where did that fit in your evaluation?

I like the big GS's a lot.  Owned a GS850 and a GS750 16-valver.  Great bikes.  Owned an XS1100, too.  Like you said:  big & fast.  I never really got a chance to experience its "handling" as all of Florida where I live is flat and arrow-straight.

Kirk

[scunny]

you will love the 1000, regarding the CBX, the comstar wheel you can see belongs to one  haha
l

[DammitDan]

Hah, the CBX?  It didn't even come into my considerations...

Too big, too heavy and too many damn carburetors! 

[Dawdlin Dog]

My wife took me to pick the bike up, didn't realise she'd picked up her camera on the way out 

First things first, took the bike for a drink,


The weather for the journey home wasn't the best,


But we arrived safe and sound,


Parked up and let the adreneline dissipate 

[S-Dog]

WOW.... thats a cool looking bike!!

[scondon]

 Oh yes....Nice catch!   Does she have a sister ?

[kirkn]

Is that a motocross handlebar??

Looks like you'll be needing some knobby tires...   

Nice bike!

Kirk

[medic09]

Excellent find!  Ride it in good health!

[bgfootball67]

Sharp bike, nice purchase!  Hopefully you got a good deal on her.  From the pics she does not look all that cosmetically challenged.  Hope you enjoy.  They should be able to shipany parts needed to you, also check your local Suzuki deal you should be able to get just about anything from them.

Dirt bike / four wheeler handler bars?

[azuredesign]

Nice pluck, if I get another bike that's at the top 'o my list.
Congrats!

[DarkRider]

Great lookin GS!!...Def an MX handle bar...previous owner must have gotten tired of of the messed up angle that the stock bar sits at...My own GS has the same mod done..will try to get some pics of that beast soon.

[Dawdlin Dog]

Thanks for the comments everyone. 
They are Renthal bars I was told, bit of a stretch but they give great control. Not sure yet whether to keep them or not.
Looking at the front fender and the edge of the speedo it looks like she's gone down at some point in her life, probably why the indicators aren't there any more, but cant see any other signs of damage.
Plan is to do a rolling resto of it. There is a bodge job on one of the fork brace bolts, It'll hold but looks bad, a sheared screw on one of the cam end covers, may need helicoiling but we'll try wd40 first. Just little things like that really.
Paintwise the tank is hideous (couple of runs in it ) left fork is bad.
No knobby tires for this beasty I want to stay on the road   
And if ever I meet her sister you guys will be the first to know 

[Terry in Australia]

Very nice mate, I love the seat and ("metamech"?) swingarm, and that looks like a marshall "Deep tone" pipe? Excellent! If it's a 1978 model it's been upgraded with later wheels as the 1978 models had the beautiful (I want some) alloy rimmed spoked wheels and single disc fronts, but it looks like it's got the (more desirable) 18 inch "S" rear wheel too. (the "E" models ran a 17 inch rear)

As far as replacing the clutch goes, it's a piece of cake, just like a CB750 clutch, only much bigger, but just as easy to get at. If you want it to go faster get a 1980-81 "big port" head and either the "E" model 34mm CV carbs (much lighter throttle and 50 MPG) or the (rarer) 33mm factory slide carbs, and the "S" cams, and it'll be good for around 150 MPH (not as fast as an XS1100 "Elephant"? Pu-lease!)

I think I've got a workshop manual on CD somewhere if you need a copy, and of course I make oil cooler adapters (and complete kits) if you need one too. (I'm "Terry" on the GS Resources) Have fun! Cheers, Terry.

[SteveD CB500F]

Terry - that looks like a crappy old Motad to me.

You see so many of them over here as they're the cheapest alternative when the standard pipes are shot.

Shame.  Go get a nice noisy Deeptone!

[Terry in Australia]

Terry - that looks like a crappy old Motad to me.

You see so many of them over here as they're the cheapest alternative when the standard pipes are shot.

Shame.  Go get a nice noisy Deeptone!

Well I don't know much about Motad's Steve, are they no good? I know in the states they have those poxy cheap arse "Mac" exhausts, but that pipe on DD's bike looks a lot nicer quality?

The Megacycle pipe on mine is "the ducks nuts", the shop owner is a drag racer and he can get another 10+ BHP out of just about an engine with one of his pipes, no problem! Not cheap, but worth the money! Cheers, Terry.

[SteveD CB500F]

Terry - Motad are good quality finish and well made. It's just that they are built to modern noise level requirements and just sound, well, crap...

A good proportion of used fours in the UK sport them as they are about the only replacement available without going the DSS route.

They are instantly recognisable from the shape of the silencer as the header pipes are (obviously) different for each model.

My Rickman had one (sounded crap) and still has in the photos, but I swapped for an autojumble Laser which is like a sawn-off Piper and is LOUD (a bit like a Yoshi)

Motad made (make?) all of Triumphs OEM stainless exhausts for the Hinckley bikes.

[Dawdlin Dog]

Steve's right, it is a Motad and the bike does sound a little muted. I'll run with it for now and if anything comes up and I have the money at the same time I'll change it.
It's got a 17 inch on the back Terry so I guess an 18 inch wheel is something else to keep an eye out for 
When you said "metamech" swingarm did you mean metmachex?  (Apparently METal MACHining EXperts). Then yes thats whats on there.
Went out for a ride yesterday and soon realised that this thing moves.
Didn't push it very hard as I'm still getting used to it and I'm not really one for riding close to the limits anyway. Beautiful bike, very pleased with it. 
I'll ride as much as I can but the summer seems a long way away 

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah that's right mate, I was guessing the spelling, but I've seen those "arms" on a lot of bikes in Britain, and they look great!

The good thing about these bikes is that you don't have to try hard to get them going, they're super torquey, and so it's just "point and shoot". I rode a later GSX750 just after I bought the first GS1000, and was disappointed at how "peaky" it was, you had to rev the guts out of it to make it go, just like the later GSXR750. Not my style at all! Cheers, Terry.

[azuredesign]

The good thing about these bikes is that you don't have to try hard to get them going, they're super torquey, and so it's just "point and shoot". I rode a later GSX750 just after I bought the first GS1000, and was disappointed at how "peaky" it was, you had to rev the guts out of it to make it go, just like the later GSXR750. Not my style at all! Cheers, Terry.

I agree completely. On my 1100, which is basically the same thing, I could roll it on at 15-20mph in 5th and it would just go, no stuttering or knocking or anything, the power was always there. Kids, don't try this at home...
I'm pretty sure this is true, but if not please correct me: torque, especially torque at lower RPM is inherently proportional to displacement.